Issue - meetings

The Committee scrutinised a report which provided an update on Scheduled Care

The Committee was provided with details of long waiters which included the breakdown of bands and by month. There had been a slight increase in the >140 weeks from 66 in September 2021 to 83 in November 2021. It was the aim of Oldham Cares to eliminate waits of over 104 weeks by the end of March 2022, however it was important to understand that a long waiter was not necessary a high clinical priority or more urgent due to the wait. Elective activity also slowed annually when winter pressures hit and resources were reprioritised which contributed to increased Elective waits. Patients’ choice was a factor in the increased wait times. Some patients opted to wait until the risk of Covid was significantly reduced. This was the cause of the increase in November waits and as Christmas approached, patients opted to delay to the New Year. The total waitlist in Mar ‘20 was 16,852 vs. 25,437 Nov ’21.

Diagnostic provision continued to be a challenge as increased waitlists resulted in increased demand on diagnostic services. The standard continued to be set at 99% of diagnostics to be delivered within 6 weeks however NHSE/I had published new guidance in May ‘21 which stated waitlists should be reviewed and prioritised according to clinical need rather than wait time where over half have been waiting over 6 weeks. In Feb ‘20 the diagnostic waitlist stood at 4,596 but in Nov ‘21 was 8,798 an increase of 91.4%. Echocardiography, MRI, NOUS and Endoscopy accounted for the majority of

diagnostic waits.

The Committee noted that the service continued to operate under challenging circumstances with infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, stretched

resources for various reasons (including staff sickness), patient choice and increasing waitlists. When pressures rose in urgent care, Elective activity was the first to take the hit, as resources were prioritised accordingly to urgent and

Cancer care. Use of Independent Sector Providers (ISPs) depended on Trusts sending activity across but was supporting the recovery process. It was likely to take a number of years to truly recover from the toll Covid had taken on Elective waits.

Cancer services across Greater Manchester remained very challenged, and this was reflected in the deterioration of the performance position seen in Oldham. The current surge of the Omicron wave was causing pressures across the health system, particularly in terms of staff sickness and isolation. The GM position was to maintain Priority 2 (which included Cancer patients) on green sites, and therefore it was hoped that despite the continuing pressures that cancer treatments would continue wherever possible. Diagnostics ware still a main contributor to the delays in 62-day treatment pathways. The Trust had continued to utilise the Rapid Diagnostic Centre (RDC) pathway to support internally and continued to develop the Community Diagnostic Centre which would provide additional diagnostic capacity to Oldham.

General practice had remained open and continued to provide primary medical services 7 days per week  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

Resolved:

That consideration of this report be deferred to the next scheduled meeting of the Committee on Tuesday, 8^th March 2022.